Paper sheet ejecting/collecting apparatus

ABSTRACT

Bills are aligned, ejected and collected in a storage tray without being bent. A bill conveyed to the storage tray is given curve habits in a direction perpendicular to the conveyance direction of the bill. The front edge of the bill immediately after being ejected from the last conveying part lifts up holding levers by pressing their lower surfaces. The holding levers impose a load on the bill, and strengthen the curve habits of the bill. Then, the bill is conveyed in an obliquely upward conveyance direction immediately after passing through the last conveying part. And the bill continues to be conveyed to the storage tray.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application is based upon and claims the benefit of priority from the prior Japanese Application No. 2008-269026, filed Oct. 17, 2008, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a paper sheet ejecting/collecting apparatus that can supply desired paper sheets such as bank bills, etc. to a customer by aligning, ejecting and collecting the paper sheets in a storage tray, which functions as a dispense slot, without buckling the paper sheets.

2. Description of the Related Art

Conventionally, a paper sheet ejecting/collecting apparatus that can collect a plurality of paper sheets having relatively low hardness in their aligned state is proposed as a paper sheet ejecting/collecting mechanism, for example, as disclosed by Japanese Laid-open Patent Publication No. 2002-167101.

Additionally, a paper sheet storing/feeding apparatus that can securely feed paper sheets one by one by preventing the paper sheets, which are ejected in a longitudinal direction, from being jammed within an accommodation unit is proposed, for example, as disclosed by Japanese Laid-open Patent Publication No. 2000-007232.

FIG. 1 is a side view illustrating a configuration of a principal part of a mechanism for feeding/ejecting paper sheets to a paper sheet accommodation unit, which is common to the above described conventional paper sheet ejecting/collecting mechanisms. FIG. 1 illustrates a storage tray 1, paper sheets 2, conveyer belts 3 (3 a, 3 b), driving rollers (4 a, 4 b), and a holding lever 5.

The storage tray 1 collects and stores the paper sheets 2 that are ejected by the upper and the lower conveyer belts 3 as represented with an arrow 2′. The holding lever 5 is lifted up from the initial position, which is represented with a dotted line 5′, by the paper sheets 2 that are ejected as represented with the arrow 2′, the holding lever 5 therefore presses the paper sheets 2 downward with its self-weight, and aligns the paper sheets 2 stored in the storage tray 1 to be flat.

Normally, in the paper sheet ejecting/collecting mechanisms, the storage tray 1 and the paper holding lever 5 are assembled as one unit on the left side as illustrated in FIG. 1, and also the upper and the lower conveyer belts 3 are assembled as one unit on the right side as illustrated in FIG. 1.

However, since a distance A from the last position 6 at which the conveyance force of the upper and the lower conveyer belts 3 for the paper sheets 2 (2′) to a position 7 where the paper sheets 2 contact the paper holding lever 5 at the initial position is relatively long in this configuration, the paper sheets 2 ejected as represented with the arrow 2′ are not conveyed in a linear state and prone to buckle at the position 7 where the paper sheets 2 contact the paper holding lever 5.

Furthermore, while the paper holding lever 5 is contacting the paper sheets, it continuously imposes a conveyance load on the paper sheets. This makes the paper sheets more prone to buckle while being ejected to the storage tray 1.

To prevent the paper sheets 2 from buckling as described above, a method for curving a paper sheet being ejected is executed. However, conventional curving methods are executed only at the last roller portion for ejection, and the curving is insufficient. Therefore, the paper sheets 2 are still prone to buckle.

If one paper sheet 2 buckles while being ejected as described above, it is not flatly stored in the storage tray 1. It can possibly curl up, wind around and swell, and also hinders subsequently ejected paper sheets 2. This causes problems such as a misalignment and a jam of the paper sheets 2.

Additionally, the conventional ejecting mechanisms are structured so that a paper sheet freely drops after passing through the last roller for ejection.

Accordingly, the rear edge of one paper sheet, for example, gets entangled with the front edge of the succeeding paper sheet, leading to a misalignment, bending, etc.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

An object of the present invention is to provide a paper sheet ejecting/collecting apparatus for aligning, ejecting and collecting paper sheets in a storage tray without buckling the paper sheets, in light of the above described conventional circumstances. The paper sheet ejecting/collecting apparatus according to the present invention is configured by including: an accommodation unit in which a paper sheet is ejected and stored; a conveying unit for conveying the paper sheet to the accommodation unit; a curving unit for giving a curve habit to the paper sheet in a direction perpendicular to the surface of the paper sheet conveyed by the conveying unit; and a load imposing unit, which is arranged between the curving unit and the conveying unit, for imposing a downward load on the paper sheet by slidingly contacting the surface of the paper sheet conveyed by the conveying unit.

In this paper sheet ejecting/collecting apparatus, the accommodation unit is configured, for example, with a storage tray. Moreover, the conveying unit is configured with an upper belt linked between an upper roller on the downstream side of a conveyance direction and an upper roller on the upstream side of the conveyance direction, and a lower belt linked between a lower roller on the downstream side of the conveyance direction and a lower roller on the upstream side of the conveyance direction, and the widths of the upper belt and the lower belt are formed to be narrower than the size of the paper sheet in the direction perpendicular to the conveyance direction of the paper sheet.

In this case, it is preferable to arrange the upper roller on the downstream side of the conveyance direction in a position closer to the accommodation unit than the lower roller on the downstream side of the conveyance direction.

Additionally, in this paper sheet ejecting/collecting apparatus, the curving unit is configured, for example, with rollers arranged on both sides of the upper belt and the lower belt on a more upstream side of the conveyance direction than the accommodation unit, the circumferential surfaces of the rollers are arranged in positions higher than the conveyance surface of the upper belt and the lower belt for the paper sheet, and the central position of the rotational axis of each of the rollers is arranged in a position on a more upstream side of the conveyance direction than a last conveying part of the upper belt and the lower belt for the paper sheet.

Furthermore, the load imposing unit is configured, for example, with a rotational member having two holding levers branched from a support that functions as a rotational support, the support is arranged on the inner side of the upper belt on a more upstream side of the conveyance direction than the upper roller on the downstream side of the conveyance direction, the holding levers extend to the inside of the accommodation unit beyond the last conveying part of the upper belt and the lower belt for the paper sheet on both sides of the upper belt and the lower belt, and the freely rotating ends of the holding levers contact the upper surface, on which the paper sheet is put, of the accommodation unit or the upper surface of the topmost stored paper sheet in a standby state.

In the configuration of this paper sheet ejecting/collecting apparatus, a resistance to upward and downward bending forces of the paper sheet is strengthened with curve habits given by the curving unit before the paper sheet reaches the last conveying part of the upper belt and the lower belt for the paper sheet, the holding levers are lifted up by the front edge of the paper sheet as a result of contacting the front edge of the paper sheet immediately after the paper sheet passes through the last conveying part of the upper belt and the lower belt for the paper sheet, and strengthen the curve habits given to the paper sheet by slidingly contacting the bottom of the curve habits of the paper sheet, which are given by the curving unit, and the paper sheet is conveyed in an obliquely upward conveyance direction immediately after passing through the last conveying part because the resistance to upward and downward bending forces is further strengthened with the strengthened curve habits.

Still further, in the configuration of this paper sheet ejecting/collecting apparatus, the holding levers are released from being lifted up by the paper sheet and the freely rotating ends of the holding levers therefore drop immediately after the rear edge of the paper sheet passes through the last conveying part, a friction is generated between the paper sheet and the curving unit in the conveyance direction by pressing the paper sheet downward with a slidingly contacting part, and the paper sheet continues to be conveyed by the curving unit until the rear edge in the conveyance direction passes through the curving unit.

According to the present invention, a paper sheet ejecting/collecting apparatus for aligning, ejecting and collecting paper sheets in a storage tray without bending the paper sheets can be provided.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a side view illustrating a configuration of a principal part of a mechanism for feeding and ejecting a paper sheet to a paper sheet accommodation unit, which is common to conventional paper sheet ejecting/collecting mechanisms;

FIG. 2A is a top view of a principal part of a paper sheet ejecting/collecting apparatus according to an embodiment;

FIG. 2B is a view when FIG. 2A is viewed from the left side (A direction);

FIG. 2C is a view when FIG. 2A is viewed from downward (B direction);

FIG. 2D is a perspective view of FIG. 2A;

FIG. 3A is a top view illustrating the operation state of starting to eject a paper sheet to a storage tray immediately after the front edge of a paper sheet to be ejected to the storage tray passes through the last conveying part in the configuration of the paper sheet ejecting/collecting apparatus according to the embodiment;

FIG. 3B is a view when FIG. 3A is viewed from the left side (A direction);

FIG. 3C is a view when FIG. 3A is viewed from downward (B direction);

FIG. 3D is a perspective view of FIG. 3A;

FIG. 4A is a top view illustrating the operation state of continuously ejecting one paper sheet to the storage tray after the initial state of ejecting the paper sheet to the storage tray when the paper sheet is ejected by the paper sheet ejecting/collecting apparatus according to the embodiment;

FIG. 4B is a view when FIG. 4A is viewed from the left side (A direction);

FIG. 4C is a view when FIG. 4A is viewed from downward (B direction);

FIG. 4D is a perspective view of FIG. 4A;

FIG. 5A is a top view illustrating an operation state immediately before the ejection of one paper sheet to the storage tray is terminated when the paper sheet is ejected by the paper sheet ejecting/collecting apparatus according to the embodiment;

FIG. 5B is a view when FIG. 5A is viewed from the left side (A direction);

FIG. 5C is a view when FIG. 5A is viewed from downward (B direction); and

FIG. 5D is a perspective view of FIG. 5A.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

An embodiment according to the present invention is described in detail below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 2A is a top view of a principal part of a paper sheet ejecting/collecting apparatus according to an embodiment. FIG. 2B is a view when FIG. 2A is viewed from the left side (A direction). FIG. 2C is a view when FIG. 2A is viewed from downward (B direction). FIG. 2D is a perspective view of FIG. 2A.

As illustrated in FIGS. 2A to 2D, the paper sheet ejecting/collecting apparatus 10 according to this embodiment includes a storage tray 13 as an accommodation unit in which, for example, bills 12 as paper sheets are ejected and stored, a conveyance mechanism 14, curving rollers 15, and holding levers 16.

The conveyance mechanism 14 is intended to convey the bills 12 toward the storage tray 13, and composed of an upper belt 18 linked between an upper roller 17 on the side of the storage tray and an upper roller (not illustrated) on the upstream side of the conveyance direction, and a lower belt 21 linked between a lower roller 19 on the side of the storage tray and a lower roller (not illustrated) on the upstream side of the conveyance direction.

Both of the widths of the upper belt 18 and the lower belt 21 are formed to be narrower than the size of the bills 12 in the direction perpendicular to the conveyance direction. Moreover, the upper roller 17 on the side of the storage tray is arranged in a position closer to the storage tray 13 than the lower roller 19 on the side of the storage tray (see FIGS. 2C and 2D).

The curving rollers 15 are arranged on both sides of the conveyance mechanism 14 in the conveyance direction of the bills 12. The circumferential surfaces of the curving rollers 15 are arranged in positions higher than the conveyance surface of the upper belt 18 and the lower belt 21 for the bills 12. Moreover, the central position of the rotational axis 24 of each of the curving rollers 15 is arranged in a position on a more upstream side of the conveyance direction than a last conveying part 23 of the upper belt 18 and the lower belt 21 for the bills 12 (see FIG. 2C).

A rotational support 22 of the holding levers 16 is arranged on the inner side of the upper belt 18 on a more upstream side of the conveyance direction than the upper roller 17 on the side of the storage tray. Moreover, freely rotating ends 16 a of the holding levers 16 extend to the inside of the storage tray 13 beyond the last conveying part 23 of the upper belt 18 and the lower belt 21 for the bills 12.

The tips 16 b of the freely rotating ends of the holding levers 16 are formed to contact the upper surface of the storage tray 13 or the upper surface of the topmost stored bill 12 in the standby state illustrated in FIGS. 2A to 2D.

The tips 16 b of the freely rotating ends of the holding levers 16 are bent slightly upward in order to relieve a slide friction with the bills 12, and the portions corresponding to the top of the bent portions contact, as the tips 16 b, the upper surface of the storage tray 13 or the upper surface of the topmost stored bill 12.

FIG. 3A is a top view illustrating the operation state of starting to eject a paper sheet 12 to the storage tray 13 immediately after the front edge of the paper sheet 12 to be ejected to the storage tray 13 passes through the last conveying part 23 in the above described configuration of the paper sheet ejecting/collecting apparatus 10. FIG. 3B is a view when FIG. 3A is viewed from the left side (A direction). FIG. 3C is a view when FIG. 3A is viewed from downward (B direction). FIG. 3D is a perspective view of FIG. 3A.

As illustrated in FIGS. 3A to 3D, both ends 12 a-1 in the width direction of the bill 12 a being conveyed to the storage tray 13 run on the circumferences of the curving rollers 15 positioned higher than the conveyance surface of the upper belt 18 and the lower belt 21 before the bill 12 a reaches the last conveying part 23 of the upper belt 18 and the lower belt 21 for the bills 12.

As a result, curve habits that are parallel to the conveyance direction and take the shape where both ends of the bill 12 a are lifted up from the central portion, namely, the curve habits 12 a-2 in the direction perpendicular to the conveyance direction of the surface of the bill 12 a to be conveyed are given. As described above, the curving rollers 15 are arranged to give the curve habits 12 a-2 to the bill 12 a being conveyed.

In the figures, the curve habits 12 a-2 are represented with linear lines as being bent at a sharp angle. Actually, however, the curve habits 12 a-2 are smooth ones. The bill 12 a being conveyed is provided with a high resistance to upward and downward bending forces by being given the curve habits (the curve habits 12 a-2 in the direction perpendicular to the conveyance direction of the surface of the bill 12 a being conveyed) by the curving rollers 15.

In this state, the front edge 12 a-3 of the bill 12 a contacts the lower surfaces of the holding levers 16 immediately after passing through the last conveying part 23, and lifts up the holding levers 16 while slipping contacting the lower surfaces of the holding levers 16.

The last conveying part 23 is the last end at which the conveyance force by the upper belt 18 and the lower belt 21 for the bill 12 a is effectively applied. The front edge 12 a-3 of the bill 12 a contacts and presses the holding levers 16 immediately after the bill 12 a is conveyed with the effectively applied conveyance force, the front edge 12 a-3 of the bill 12 a is provided with a high resistance to upward and downward bending forces, and the principle of leverage is applied because of the point where the front edge 12 a-3 of the bill 12 a contacts the holding levers 16 is sufficiently away from the rotational support 22 (at the point of approximately one half of the total length), whereby the holding levers 16 can be easily lifted up.

FIG. 4A is a top view illustrating the operation state of continuously ejecting one paper sheet (hereafter “a bill”) 12 a to the storage tray 13 after the initial state of ejecting the bill 12 a when the bill is ejected by the above described paper sheet ejecting/collecting apparatus 10. FIG. 4B is a view when FIG. 4A is viewed from the left side (A direction). FIG. 4C is a view when FIG. 4A is viewed from downward (B direction). FIG. 4D is a perspective view of FIG. 4A. In FIGS. 4A to 4D, only portions required for the explanation are denoted with the same reference numerals as those in FIGS. 2A to 2D, and 3A to 3D.

As illustrated in FIGS. 4A to 4D, the curving habit of the bill 12 a, which is ejected in an obliquely upward direction above the storage tray 13, is strengthened in a way such that the holding levers 16, which are respectively arranged between the curving rollers 15 and the conveyance mechanism 14, slipping contact the bottom (the portion lower than both ends 12 a-1) of the bill 12 a to which the curving rollers 15 give the curve habits 12 a-2 (the curves in the direction perpendicular to the conveyance direction of the surface of the bill 12 a being conveyed) parallel to the conveyance direction, and impose a load on the bill 12 a.

The bill 12 a is conveyed in the obliquely upward conveyance direction immediately after passing through the last conveying part 23 since the resistance to upward and downward bending forces is increased by strengthening the curving habit.

FIG. 5A is a top view illustrating an operation state immediately before the ejection of one paper sheet (bill?) 12 a to the storage tray 13 is terminated when the paper sheet is ejected by the above described paper sheet ejecting/collecting apparatus 10. FIG. 5B is a view when FIG. 5A is viewed from the left side (A direction). FIG. 5C is a view when FIG. 5A is viewed from downward (B direction). FIG. 5D is a perspective view of FIG. 5A. Only portions required for the explanation in FIGS. 5A to 5D are denoted with the same reference numerals as those in FIGS. 2A to 2D, and 3A to 3D.

As illustrated in FIGS. 5A to 5D, the freely rotating ends 16 a of the holding levers 16 drop when they are released from being lifted up by the bill 12 a immediately after the rear edge of the bill 12 a passes through the last conveying part 23, and press the bill 12 a downward between the curving rollers 15 on both sides, whereby a friction is generated between the bill 12 a and the curving rollers 15 in the conveyance direction, and the bill 12 a continues to be conveyed to the storage tray 13 by the curving rollers 15 until its rear edge in the conveyance direction passes through the curving rollers 15.

As described above, according to this embodiment, the bill 12 a lifts up the holding levers 16 immediately after passing through the last conveying part 23 at which the conveyance force is effectively applied. Therefore, the bill 12 a can lift up the holding levers 16 without being buckled.

Additionally, the holding levers 16 also function to curve the bill 12 a in the direction parallel to the conveyance direction. Therefore, the bill 12 a is slightly upwardly ejected at the conveyance angle of the last conveying part 23. This eliminates the possibility that the ejected bill 12 a interferes with paper sheets 12 already stored in the storage tray 13.

Furthermore, the bill 12 a being ejected to the storage tray 13 is conveyed along the holding levers 16 while its bottom curved by the curving rollers 15 is being pressed, whereby the effect of curving (resistance to upward and downward bending forces) is further strengthened, which is especially effective at conveying the bill 2 a in the longitudinal direction.

Still further, a conveyance force is generated by the friction between the curving rollers 15 and the holding levers 16 once the rear edge of the bill 12 a goes away from the last conveying part 23, and the bill 12 a is completely conveyed up to its rear edge to the storage tray 13 while being pressed by the holding levers 16. Therefore, a misalignment of the bills 12 in the storage tray 13 becomes less prone to occur. 

1. A paper sheet ejecting/collecting apparatus, comprising: an accommodation unit in which a paper sheet is ejected and stored; a conveying unit for conveying the paper sheet to the accommodation unit; a curving unit for giving a curve habit to the paper sheet in a direction perpendicular to a surface of the paper sheet conveyed by the conveying unit; and a load imposing unit, which is arranged between the curving unit and the conveying unit, for imposing a downward load on the paper sheet by slipping contacting the surface of the paper sheet conveyed by the conveying unit.
 2. The paper sheet ejecting/collecting apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the accommodation unit is configured with a storage tray.
 3. The paper sheet ejecting/collecting apparatus according to claim 1, wherein: the conveying unit is configured with an upper belt linked between an upper roller on a downstream side of a conveyance direction and an upper roller on an upstream side of the conveyance direction, and a lower belt linked between a lower roller on the downstream side of the conveyance direction and a lower roller on the upstream side of the conveyance direction; and widths of the upper belt and the lower belt are formed to be narrower than a size of the paper sheet in a direction perpendicular to the conveyance direction of the paper sheet.
 4. The paper sheet ejecting/collecting apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the upper roller on the downstream side of the conveyance direction is arranged in a position closer to the accommodation unit than the lower roller on the downstream side of the conveyance direction.
 5. The paper sheet ejecting/collecting apparatus according to claim 1, wherein: the curving unit is configured with rollers arranged on both sides of the upper belt and the lower belt on a more upstream side of the conveyance direction than the accommodation unit; circumferential surfaces of the rollers are arranged in positions higher than a conveyance surface of the upper belt and the lower belt for the paper sheet; and a central position of a rotational axis of each of the rollers is arranged in a position on a more upstream side of the conveyance direction than a last conveying part of the upper belt and the lower belt for the paper sheet.
 6. The paper sheet ejecting/collecting apparatus according to claim 1, wherein: the load imposing unit is configured with a rotational member having two holding levers branched from a support that functions as a rotational support; the support is arranged on an inner side of the upper belt on a more upstream side of the conveyance direction than the upper roller on the downstream side of the conveyance direction; the holding levers extend to an inside of the accommodation unit beyond the last conveying part of the upper belt and the lower belt for the paper sheet on both sides of the upper belt and the lower belt; and freely rotating ends of the holding levers contact an upper surface, on which the paper sheet is put, of the accommodation unit or an upper surface of a topmost stored paper sheet in a standby state.
 7. The paper sheet ejecting/collecting apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a resistance to upward and downward bending forces of the paper sheet is strengthened with curve habits given by the curving unit before the paper sheet reaches the last conveying part of the upper belt and the lower belt for the paper sheet.
 8. The paper sheet ejecting/collecting apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the holding levers are lifted up by a front edge of the paper sheet as a result of contacting the front edge of the paper sheet immediately after the paper sheet passes through the last conveying part of the upper belt and the lower belt for the paper sheet, and strengthen the curve habits given to the paper sheet by slipping contacting a bottom of the curve habits of the paper sheet, which are given by the curving unit; and the paper sheet is conveyed in an obliquely upward conveyance direction immediately after passing through the last conveying part as a result of further strengthening the resistance to upward and downward bending forces with the strengthened curve habits.
 9. The paper sheet ejecting/collecting apparatus according to claim 8, wherein: the holding levers are released from being lifted up by the paper sheet and freely rotating ends of the holding levers drop immediately after a rear edge of the paper sheet passes through the last conveying part, and a friction is generated between the paper sheet and the curving unit in the conveyance direction with a downward press of the paper sheet by a slidingly contacting part of the dropped freely rotating ends; and the paper sheet continues to be conveyed by the curving unit until the rear edge in the conveyance direction passes through the curving unit. 